Bright Lights and Cityscapes
by WildLilFlower
Summary: Rachel has it all right now and feels ready to take on the world. Or at least, Regionals. But will one song sung by a certain blonde completely throw her off or simply change a slide in her powerpoint? Faberry oneshot. Rated T for minor language.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N****: Hi guys! It's been a while since I've posted something, so here's...well something. This is a result of listening to Sara Bareilles "Bright Lights and Cityscapes" and having lots of feels. Anyways, enjoy. I do apologize for any mistakes that are in there. Kinda wrote this in a flurry ^^;**

**Disclaimer:****I don't own Glee or anything. Maybe things would've been better if I did. Oh well. I don't own Sara Bareilles either. She's her own lady.**

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Rachel made her way to the auditorium. It was her free period and she was going to make the most of it. Things were going well for her. She had the man of her dreams, the slushie war has stopped, and the New Directions were well on their way to Regionals and afterwards, Nationals. However, this didn't mean that she was going to give up the chance to practice her singing. In fact, it drove her to work harder.

The brunette made her way through the backstage door, ready to jump right into her scales when she heard voices and the gentle tones of the piano. As silently as she could, Rachel closed the door and headed towards the stage. There weren't many people who would use the auditorium at this time, so she was curious to see who was around. Carefully, Rachel peeked past the curtain and saw the Unholy Trinity all around the piano. Quinn was sitting on the bench, her back to Rachel and her fingers running along the cool ivory while Santana and Brittany were leaning on the piano itself. Rachel was about to walk away and head into the choir room when their conversation reached her ears.

"Listen, Q. How much longer are you gonna sit around, moping? If you're gonna go after her, then go for it."

This piqued Rachel's interest and started to eavesdrop. It was one of her more obvious flaws, but she couldn't help it sometimes

"She's not going to see past Finn's hulking frame, that's why," Rachel heard Quinn say. "Besides, I tormented her for so long. Why would she care about me?"

'Are they talking about me?' Rachel thought. 'They have to be. But…does that mean that Quinn…'

The diva peeked past the curtain again in time to see Santana throw her hands up in exasperation.

"Ay Dios mio! What the fuck are we gonna do with you, Fabray? There are times where I think you're the strongest person in the world, and then there are days, like this, where you're just too chicken shit to do anything. Make up your damn mind!"

"San…" Brittany cooed. "You know she's just scared like you were. Except she doesn't know Rachel loves her too."

Said girl furrowed her brows in confusion. As far as she knew, she didn't have those feelings towards Quinn. Needless to say, she had great admiration for the girl, dealing with everything she had been through and still maintaining some shred of sanity in the end. Quinn even got into Yale, which would've been impressive in it itself. There was no way that Rachel couldn't admire her after that. Even back in sophomore year, Rachel always found the blonde fascinating. Now, the brunette was questioning even herself about the extent of the admiration.

"That's because she doesn't, Britt." Quinn's voice brought Rachel's attention right back to the trio. "It's obvious from the years of fighting over Finn."

"You two fought over Finn because you both liked the idea of him." Brittany simply stated. Rachel could see Quinn's head tilt to the side and could imagine the confused look on her face. Santana thought about it for a moment and snapped her fingers.

"I get it! You wanted Finn back then because he was the quarterback and with him, you two were the power couple. The hobbit wants him because he's the leading man she always wanted." The Latina smirked and made her way to her girlfriend, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "Britt-britt, you're so smart."

"That doesn't change the fact that Rachel has what she wants. She has Finn now." Quinn said, interrupting the mini love fest happening before her. "There's no reason for her to even want me."

"Q, I'm gonna tell it to you straight now." Santana leaned towards Quinn, her pointer finger right in the other's face. "That girl has a thing for you. I don't know what it is because I'd rather not pay attention to the dwarf when I don't have to, but there is. There's always some sort of…tension between you two anyway. I half expect you two to start making out before I remember how repressed you are."

A blush crept up onto Rachel's face when she heard this. She had never noticed the tension when they were speaking.

"Besides," Brittany added. "She's always looking at you when she's not looking at Finn. Kind of like she's trying to solve a puzzle but can't because she's missing a piece." Santana looked at Brittany so lovingly, but Rachel could only look on in confusion. She could see Quinn look down at the piano keys as she plays a few notes half-heartedly. The sounds seemed to break Santana from her adoration as she turned to look at her best friend.

"Listen. We're not gonna be here much longer. Only a few months left 'til we graduate and leave this god forsaken town. Who knows if you'll ever see Rachel again? New Haven's not that far from New York but school's gonna keep you occupied. Friends can drift apart if you don't have bonds like we do." Santana smiled sympathetically. "At least if you're together, you'll work harder at seeing each other. So, consider it."

The Latina pulled her girlfriend away and hopped off the stage before turning back to look at her friend.

"And don't say I didn't care about you. Seriously, don't. I don't need people thinking I've gotten soft."

Quinn laughed and nodded before letting her best friends go. She sat there for a moment, gently pressing the keys and letting the sounds of the piano fill the auditorium. Rachel sat there looking at the blonde, mesmerized and deep in thought. Even after Quinn left, the diva continued to sit there, thinking about her relationship with Quinn. She didn't leave the auditorium until she heard the bell ring, but even still, she continued to think.

-x-o-x-o-x-

Throughout the day, Rachel covertly inquired about her behavior concerning Quinn to each of the other Glee members. Each of them, after counter inquiries about why she was asking them such things, pretty much said the same that Santana had.

Rachel had always looked at Quinn differently than all of them.

Kurt did mention something about the blonde appearing on his 'gaydar' recently that had him intrigued, which Blaine confirmed. Puck had this knowing smile that unnerved Rachel so she kept it in the back of her mind. Before she knew it, it was time for Glee.

Rachel had been so out of it that even Finn noticed and was questioning her, only to be ignored. However, when Quinn entered the room, the brunette's eyes darted towards her. Everyone that was subjected to Rachel's interrogation looked back and forth at the two. The blonde looked at everyone, confused, before making her way to her seat next to Santana and Mercedes. Her eyes lingered onto Rachel as she walked past, hazel holding onto chocolate until they could no longer.

Eventually, Mr. Schuester made his way into the room, ready to begin his lecture. Their assignment had been about acceptance and love since Valentine's Day had just past. When Mr. Schuester asked if anyone wanted to come up and perform, everyone was surprised that Rachel's hand didn't shoot up right away. Actually, it didn't shoot up at all. Rachel was still in thought and hadn't been listening at all. It wasn't until she heard Mr. Schue give Quinn the okay to perform did she snap out of it, her full attention now on the blonde sitting at the piano.

The former Cheerio didn't say anything at all. Rachel shot a quick glance to Santana and Brittany, both wearing secret smiles as they watched their friend prepare. Quinn took a deep breath before laying her fingers against the piano keys. She stared hard at them, as if willing them to move. Another deep breath and her fingers began to move.

The music began to fill the choir room and the girls, sans Rachel, began to sway along. Tina leaned into Mike while Kurt did the same with Blaine. Brittany and Santana linked their pinkies and shared a quick kiss. Finn had thought about wrapping his arm around Rachel's, but she was leaning forward, towards Quinn, with an intense look on her face as she concentrated on the girl. When Quinn opened her mouth to sing, Rachel ended up on the edge of her seat.

_Hold my breath and I'll count to ten_

_I'm the paper and you're the pen_

_You fill me in, you are permanent_

_And you'll leave me here to dry_

As Quinn continued to sing, the emotion in the song almost became tangible. Her eyes closed, allowing the music to surround her senses. She lost herself into the music, forgetting that she was singing in the choir room, that she had an audience.

Rachel was enthralled. She had never seen Quinn sing with such conviction. Before she knew it, tears were falling from her face, though she didn't even register the fact. To her, only Quinn existed at the moment. This was the type of performance she always strived to create for other people. Witnessing it up close was surreal, especially with the added fact that she was sure that Quinn was singing to her.

_She is bright lights and cityscapes_

No more doubt. Rachel was definitely sure that Quinn was singing to her. A small smile graced her features as her body relaxed and she released a breath that she didn't know she was holding. Suddenly, her eyes locked onto the performer.

_You never have to ask_

_I'm gonna love you 'til you start looking back_

_I'm gonna love you so right_

_I wouldn't need a second chance_

Rachel was in awe at the courage it must've taken Quinn to even consider singing this song. She sat there, eyes wide as she listened to the lyrics and music. The blonde had turned away from her in an attempt to keep her cool. But the emotions were still there. While Rachel had tears streaming down her face, Quinn held her tears at bay, even if they threatened to fall at any moment. She was going to make it through this performance with her head held high, no matter Rachel's reaction.

As she entered the second chorus, her voice blended with the other girls as they harmonized with her. A soft smile spread on her face as she continued to sing. She knew that Santana and Brittany had planned to join in, but it surprised her to hear how the other girls had eagerly joined in. However, there was one voice missing. She chanced a glance and saw that Rachel was just staring at her, face wet with tears. Her eyes were so full of emotion that Quinn had to look away, quickly overwhelmed. Shutting her eyes, Quinn closed out the song, repeating the last line four times as if she was saying a promise.

_I wouldn't need a second chance_

Silence filled the room as the last note rang out. Quinn expelled a breath, breaking whatever spell was on the group as applause erupted. The blonde ducked her head in embarrassment and shook her head at her friends. She wiped a tear from her eyes and stood up to sit back down on the risers. However, she halted when Rachel suddenly shot up. Their eyes met briefly before Rachel launched herself towards Quinn, enveloping her into a hug. The blonde stood there, surprised, before she could even register what happened. Once the shock died, her arms slid around the brunette's waist and pulled her close. The other New Direction members murmured about Rachel not asking for the hug, prompting the diva to pull away, slightly flustered.

"That was a beautiful song, Quinn," she managed to say, her cheeks reddening slightly. Quinn noticed that she was fidgeting with the hem of her skirt and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Rach. You inspire me, after all."

Quinn brushed past Rachel, leaving the girl slightly befuddled. Mr. Schuester stood up and praised Quinn for an excellent performance, saying that the rest of the club should find songs that they could get lost into as they performed. Rachel turned to look at Quinn one last time before sitting down. Suddenly she knew that the ball was in her court. The blonde had subtly played her cards and laid her heart on the line. Now it was her turn to make a move and she knew what the first one had to be.

Break up with Finn.

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**A/N****: I hope you liked it! I'm still working on AoM at the moment. Tryin' to push past a block, but I'll try to get that up as soon as I can.**

**Read, Review, Criticize constructively. It's all appreciated. :3**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm honestly workin' on AoM right now, but my muse had disappeared with the news of Cory. It's slowly returning though, so I'm gonna try and get that to y'all asap.**

**As for this, I know people have wanted another chapter for this, so I've come to deliver. I had initially wanted to stick to the canon timeline, but since that would mean the events of OMW would happen, so I'm taking liberties with this. Hope you guys enjoy anyway. As always, I apologize for any errors.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, or anything.**

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Rachel took a deep breath before she entered the school.

It had been two weeks since Quinn had performed that amazing song during Glee.

It had also been a week since she broke off the engagement with Finn. It was hard for her, but she knew that it was the best for them. She was a finalist for NYADA now. Her dream was in sight once more. There was no reason to settle for a simple life. Quinn's song had allowed the hope to spread in her heart again and gave her the courage to go through with the break-up. It hurt to see Finn so sad and angry, but she knew that there would be someone more suited for him than she was. With time to allow the news and feelings to settle, Rachel set out to put her plan into motion.

"Operation: Get with Quinn" was a go!

Unfortunately, as it was with all of her plans, things didn't go as planned. It wasn't because of any outside influence either. Every time Rachel had a chance to speak to Quinn, she ended up fumbling over her words once those hazel eyes looked upon her. Quinn still made her incredibly nervous and she had no idea why. She was now sitting in her class with a few minutes left before her free period. She just wanted to go and sing out her frustrations.

The bell finally rang, granting her freedom for an hour. The brunette packed her things and made her way to the auditorium. Once there, a gentle melody reached her ears.

'Really? This is my luck?" the diva thought.

Rachel peeked past the curtain and confirmed what she thought. Quinn Fabray was there at the piano, playing a familiar song.

Rachel stood at the wings, watching the blonde before gathering the courage to approach her. It was strange. Out in the hallway, with others around, she got nervous and flustered. Here, when it was just the two of them, Rachel wasn't feeling anxious at all. Normally she relished the attention of a crowd, but when it came to Quinn, it was completely opposite. It was as if any moment they had were meant to be private; just the two of them.

As the brunette got closer, the song Quinn was playing finally registered in her head. With a slight frown, she called out to the blonde.

"Quinn, I hope you're not planning on singing 'Manhattan' to me. That song is entirely depressing."

The blonde jumped slightly, startled, and whirled around to look at the intruder. Wide eyes softened when she realized that it was just Rachel and let out a soft chuckle.

"I wasn't planning on it. I've been on a Sara Bareilles kick lately and it was stuck in my head."

A comfortable silence fell between the two for a moment before Quinn spoke up again.

"So, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Quinn tilted her head as she asked.

"It's my free period, so I was simply planning to practice my singing." Rachel saw Quinn prepare to stand and hastily added, "I would very much like for you to remain, if you want. Good company is always appreciated."

"When did I become good company?" Quinn asked, with an eyebrow raised and a slight smirk on her lips. Rachel just smiled.

"You're always good company."

Quinn's smirk melted into a genuine smile before she took her spot back on the piano bench and beckoned Rachel to sit next to her, to which the diva happily obliged. After they warmed up with scales, the blonde asked the question that had been floating in her mind for a week.

"Why did you break up with Finn?"

Rachel knew this was going to come up. She was partially glad that it did, but she didn't want to relive the sadness that resulted from it. With a sigh, the brunette thought over her words carefully.

"I... was going to marry Finn for all the wrong reasons. When I accepted his proposal -"

"Completely ignoring my advice, by the way."

Rachel gave Quinn an exasperated glare that was countered with an "I told you so" look. Rachel shot her friend another look, to which Quinn just gestured her to continue.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, when I accepted Finn's proposal, I thought I wasn't going to get into NYADA." She pointedly ignored a soft snort next to her. " I was scared that I was going to be left with nothing to aspire to, so I said yes."

"But you got your letter. You're a finalist. You'll get into NYADA."

Rachel just looked at Quinn in awe. How could she have not seen it earlier? In their roller coaster relationship, there had been one constant. Their belief in each other. Right now, there was so much certainty in Quinn's voice when there was barely any in Finn's. All she could do was smile and nod.

"Yes, I got my letter. But what helped me realize that I had a fighting chance was... you."

Quinn just blinked rapidly as the words sank in. Her brow furrowed as she studied Rachel's face for any sign of dishonesty. When she found none, she was still in disbelief.

"M-me? How did I do that?" The brunette turned her body to look at Quinn more fully.

"Are you kidding me? Quinn, you've been the only one who's consistently believed in me. Even when you were breaking me down, you knew that I was destined for more, even when I didn't believe it myself." She reached out to grab the blonde's hand. "You've done so much more for me than anyone else has, Finn included. I have no way to thank you properly."

The former Cheerio just shook her head, smiling ever so softly. She took a moment to look at their joined hands, reveling in the fact that they seemed to fit together so well.

"Rachel, you don't have to thank me. Have you forgotten how often you've been there for me? Even though I bullied you for years, you still stood by me when I was at my lowest. You were the one constant in my life that kept me grounded, even if it was just barely."

Quinn's eyes seemed to sparkle in the light with the amount of emotion showing from them. It had reminded Rachel of when she sang two weeks ago and when she announced to the club that she was accepted into Yale. It was starting to overwhelm Rachel, so she decided to change the subject.

"So! Um... Can I get a sneak peek at what you will be singing this week?" Rachel asked, with a flutter of her eyelashes. Quinn just let out a laugh and shook her head.

"I don't have anything planned for this week. Last time was the extend of my courage for the rest of the year," she joked. But with Rachel pouting at her, she couldn't resist giving in and let her have her wish.

"But... I can play something now for you, if you want. We still have plenty of time before next period."

That made the little diva happy, if her beaming smile and squeal was any indication. Quinn settled herself more at the piano and poised herself. She thought for a moment before setting her fingers along the keys and pressing them.

Originally, Quinn had actually planned to perform again during Glee Club, especially after finding out about Finn and Rachel's break-up. For a week, she had come up with a song to sing along with the courage to actually sing it in front of her friends. Initially, the former Cheerio planned to avoid Rachel for the entire day, to retain her bravado and make sure she didn't chicken out. Seeing the brunette earlier that day almost broke her. After running into her again, here at the auditorium, Quinn was more than willing to just not sing at all. But the diva's pouting face broke her resolve and she decided to sing for the girl she loved right now. Her heart was now in Rachel's hands and what happens to it was up to her.

Her fingers flew freely along the ivory for a little bit before Quinn took a deep breath, steeling herself, and began singing.

_"There's no way, it can't be," t__hat's all I could say in my mind_

_There's no way I could have fallen in love with you_

She had to admit that in the beginning, when she was pregnant with Beth, Quinn was enamored with the brunette. Her ambition was admirable, even when she herself was quite obnoxious. Back then, the blonde blamed the sudden feelings on her baby hormones. Every time Rachel reached out to help her, she pushed both the small girl and her own feelings away. She had been a disgrace enough by getting pregnant at the age of sixteen. There wasn't a need to tack onto that shame by being in love with a girl as well. She was just lonely, seeing how she lost Finn because of her stupid lie and refused to have anything to do with Puck, who at the time was a complete fool.

All Quinn wanted at the time was someone she could count on to help her and take care of her when she needed it. Mercedes was eventually a part of that, but Rachel was the one who had been there from the start.

As Quinn continued to sing, Rachel sat next to her, completely transfixed. The girl she had admired for so long is singing a very obvious love song to her. Her hands were flying gracefully across the piano keys and all the diva could do was sit there and take it all in. Quinn subtly made her point when she sang "Bright Lights and Cityscapes" two weeks ago, but hearing this song drove it straight home.

And Rachel couldn't be more happy.

_I said it wouldn't work out at all_

_that we should just be friends_

_With one thing or another, we argued so fiercely_

_Never agreeing at all_

They were always at each other's throats. It was their relationship from the very beginning. A constant push and pull that established the core of their relationship now. They were always within each others' reach, even when one's back was turned on the other.

It was a bit before Senior year started when Quinn finally accepted her feeling for Rachel. She had given up caring about how people saw her and just let go. The only thing that had kept the blonde from ravishing the girl on the first day back was the fact that if she was going to do at least one thing right in her life, it was going to be her relationship with Rachel, whether it was a friendship or something more.

As the school year continued and Quinn finally calmed down, she began to question whether they would be a good pair or not and whether it was worth pursuing a relationship with Rachel. The brunette had always sought after Finn and though they were always in each other's radar, the brunette had never seen her that way. After finding out that Rachel had accepted Finn's proposal, Quinn had almost given up hope. If it wasn't for Santana and Brittany, she would've just settled for being Rachel's friend. After their pep talk, her resolve was renewed and that's how she came to perform two weeks ago. It was about time that the questions were left behind and she made her own answers.

_Why did it take me so long to see?_

_How did I miss you when you're right there?_

_This whole time you've been here, beside me, no matter the journey_

_Why didn't I see that all this time I've been in love with you_

Rachel smiled when she heard the lyrics. She was sure that if Quinn had been more honest and forward about her feelings for her in the beginning, things would've ended up a lot different. But what amazed her was how long it took herself to figure out that she too was in love with Quinn. Though, it didn't surprise her too much. Quinn was the closest thing to a best friend she ever had, aside from Kurt. She didn't know how best friends normally acted around another. She was also so focused on Finn that she didn't even register any romantic inclinations until Quinn sang to her.

She wanted to show Quinn how much she cared for her. Right at this moment. So she waited until the next chorus before joining in and singing along. She didn't know the song herself, but the diva was quick on the uptake and made it her own. The extra voice threw Quinn off for a moment, but she quickly recovered and allowed Rachel to take the lead, harmonizing perfectly with her. Music filled the auditorium as the two sang together for the first time in a long while.

_I think I love you_

_I know that it's true __'cause I miss you_

_When you're not around me_

_I can't do a thing with you in my head_

_If this is how things are, I know_

_I'm falling for you_

_It caught me off guard_

_Now I need you at every moment_

_I understand now, you broke down my walls_

_and dug a way to find a place in my heart_

As the last notes of the piano faded away, the duo sat there in silence, just gazing into each other's eyes. They were content with each other's presence, but there was a lingering aura around them. It was something the two couldn't explain, yet they knew exactly what it was.

Sudden anxiousness overtook them both and it caused Quinn to lick her dry lips, which drew Rachel's attention to them. Once her eyes trailed back to look into Quinn's hazel, they locked onto each other. Slowly, without even realizing, the former enemies leaned in, their eyes never leaving each other. They stopped for a moment, centimeters apart, gauging each other's reaction. Rachel closed her eyes, and closed the distance.

Their lips finally touched, gentle and chaste. Quinn's eyes closed in reflex as she savored the feeling of having Rachel so close. She slid her body closer to the other girl and wrapped an arm around the brunette's waist while her other hand caressed her cheek. Rachel snaked her arms around Quinn's neck, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss ever so slightly.

They parted, but remained close with their noses gently brushing against each other. Quinn felt so content right now. She couldn't believe that this moment was happening. All she could do was sigh softly and smile.

"I have to be dreaming, right?" She suddenly felt a sharp pain on her arm and let out a yelp. She looked down to see reddening skin and Rachel's fingers hovering slightly over it.

"That hurt, right?" The brunette asked.

"Yeah, a lot..." Quinn rubbed her arm, frowning slightly at the pain only to have it turn up into a smile again. "But it means I'm not dreaming."

Hazel eyes locked onto chocolate once more as Quinn moved to kiss Rachel again. However, they were interrupted by the bell, signalling the end of their time in the auditorium. With a sigh, the pair stood up from the piano and gathered their belongings. Before walking out, however, Quinn gently grabbed Rachel's hand, effectively stopping her for the moment.

"Quinn? We'll be late to class."

"Rach... This is official, right? W-we're together?" Quinn was a nervous wreck. She wasn't use to being the one to initiate relationships. But Rachel's smile calmed her. It wasn't her thousand watt smile. It was the genuine, caring smile that was reserved for only her.

"Yes, Quinn. We are officially in a romantic relationship." The diva leaned up and placed a quick kiss on Quinn's lips. "And if you don't mind, I would like to announce it to the Glee club."

"Through song?"

"You know me too well."

The former Cheerio could only laugh and shake her head. "At least give me a couple of periods to prepare."

"I'll tell you in class later." With that, the brunette hopped off to class before she was late, leaving an amused Quinn behind.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

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**A/N: The song I used is called "I Think I" by Byul. It's a Korean song, but it's really sweet and one of my favorites.**

**As usual, Read, Review, Criticize constructively. I appreciate all of it!**


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